The silent killer: air pollution debate in Sheffield

Stephanie Bateman

On Monday May 22, Sheffield Friends of the Earth will host a public debate about air pollution with a panel of health and environmental experts. The event will take place at the University of Sheffield’s Students’ Union and is part of the Festival of Debate.

The panel will be discussing the health risks of air pollution, which is estimated to lead to the premature deaths of 500 people in Sheffield every year, and calculated to cause £160 million in lost working days in the city due to illness.

The timing of the event, less than 2 weeks after the launch of the government’s delayed air pollution strategy on Tuesday 9th May, will allow for an informed and lively debate.

The experts on the panel include Greg Fell (Sheffield’s Director of Public Health), Harriet Edwards (British Lung Foundation), Jane Thomas (former senior campaigner with Friends of the Earth) and Natasha Askaroff (Healthy Planet)

Sheffield Friends of the Earth spokesperson, Shaun Rumbelow, said, “Air pollution in Sheffield is having a major impact on our health. We hope as many people as possible can make the free event so we can discuss the best ways to improve the air quality in Sheffield.”